The 2013 British thrillerUtopiawas one of the very best TV shows of the 2010s, and its cancelation was lamentable. It is a must-watch for thriller fans and anyone seeking some truly original storytelling. It is rare for original TV scripts to bear the hallmarks of such stark originality, butUtopiasprung from an original idea by Huw Kennair-Jones, Mark Aldridge, and Clare McDonald.The originalUtopiawas great, despite being scrapped after only two seasons and being followed by a distinctly average American remake created by Gillian Flynn.
Written by Dennis Kelly and John Donnelly, the originalUtopiawas heavily stylized and uniquely so. Quentin Tarantino’sKill Billdisplayed an almost similar approach to violence, color, and character design. A graphic novel that some believed predicted the future was at the heart of the conspiracy in the show, with government officials and secretive individuals after it.Utopia’scelebration of creativity radiated outwardfrom its very core, reaching its every stylistic choice.Amazon Prime’sUtopiamade many changes from the original, and the impressive visual elegance of the original was siphoned away from the story.
Utopia Is One Of The Greatest TV Shows You’ve Probably Never Seen
Utopia Never Made It To Season 3
The originalUtopiawas canceled, originally broadcast on the UK’s BBC Channel 4.It is poetry in TV formand TV at its best, but it remains little-known due to its regionality and early cancelation. The show didn’t get high enough viewership for a season 3 renewal. This is one example of the many unfortunate TV shows that were actually too intelligent to sit well with the state of mind of the average primetime viewer, who often seeks slightly less challenging or violent material. Many tried to recreateUtopia’ssuccess, but no one managed.
Utopia’s Cancelation Was Arguably The 2010s' Biggest TV Injustice
Utopia Should Get A Season 3
Utopiawas one of the 2010s most original and promising TV shows and its cancelation was devastating. The mystery was never unraveled, with season 2 ending on a huge cliffhanger.Fight ClubandSe7endirectorDavid Fincher was set to direct an American remakewritten byGone Girlauthor Gillian Flynn. Tragically, this never transpired, reportedly due to budget disputes. Flynn’s show went to Amazon instead, butAmazon’sUtopiahas mixed reviewsdue to its watered-down mediocrity. Amazon released the originalUtopiaas well, but even butchered this, downgrading the aspect ratio and removing key scenes.
A U.S. audience would have to buy a Region B-compatible DVD player and buy the Region B Blu-ray or DVD of the originalUtopiato experience it as Dennis Kelly intended.
The originalUtopia’shyperviolence worked because underneath it lay the most gentle of messages - the pen is mightier than the sword. This was the whole point. Allthe ruthless brutality and firepower of MI5, assassins, and huge corporations were no match for one comic, which had the real power - the power to change the world.Amazon’sUtopiawas canceled after season 1as it completely missed this point, both less violent and less beautiful than the original. From its soundtrack to its visual identity,Utopiacelebrated innocent creativity and beauty, which fought with its ugly violence at every step.
Utopia
Cast
The Utopia Experiments is a legendary graphic novel shrouded in mystery. When a group of strangers find themselves in possession of an original manuscript, their lives suddenly and brutally implode.
